In the context of the Bible, the term "hunchback" is specifically mentioned in the Old Testament, within the Levitical laws concerning physical defects and their implications for priestly service. The Hebrew term translated as "hunchback" is "gibben," which refers to a person with a noticeable curvature of the spine, a condition that would have been visible and possibly stigmatized in ancient times.

Biblical Reference:

The primary reference to a hunchback is found in Leviticus 21:16-23, where God gives Moses instructions regarding the physical qualifications for the priesthood. According to the Berean Standard Bible , the passage states:

"The LORD said to Moses, 'Say to Aaron: For the generations to come, none of your descendants who has a defect may come near to offer the food of his God. No man who has any defect may come near: no man who is blind, lame, disfigured, or deformed; no man with a crippled foot or hand, or who is a hunchback or a dwarf, or who has an eye defect, a festering rash, scabs, or a crushed testicle. No descendant of Aaron the priest who has a defect is to come near to present the food offerings to the LORD. He has a defect; he must not come near to offer the food of his God. He may eat the most holy food of his God, as well as the holy food; yet because of his defect, he must not go near the curtain or approach the altar, and so desecrate My sanctuaries. I am the LORD who sanctifies them.'"

Theological Implications:

The prohibition against a hunchback serving as a priest is part of a broader set of regulations that emphasize the holiness and perfection required in those who serve in the sanctuary. The physical perfection of the priests symbolized the spiritual and moral perfection that God required. The presence of any physical defect, including being a hunchback, was seen as a deviation from the ideal state of wholeness and purity that was to be represented in the priesthood.

This regulation underscores the holiness of God and the sanctity of the priestly office. It reflects the belief that those who serve in the presence of God must embody the completeness and perfection that God Himself represents. The exclusion of individuals with physical defects from priestly service was not a reflection of their worth or value in the eyes of God but rather a symbolic representation of the divine standard of holiness.

Cultural and Historical Context:

In ancient Israelite society, physical deformities were often viewed with suspicion or as a sign of divine disfavor. However, the Levitical laws provided for the care and inclusion of all members of the community, even those with physical defects. While a hunchback could not serve as a priest, he was still allowed to partake in the holy food, indicating his continued inclusion in the covenant community.

Christological Fulfillment:

In the New Testament, the coming of Jesus Christ fulfills and transcends the Old Testament laws. Jesus' ministry was marked by His compassion and healing of those with physical ailments, including those who might have been considered unclean or unfit for service under the old covenant. In Christ, the barriers of physical imperfection are removed, and all believers are made whole and acceptable before God through His redemptive work.

The mention of a hunchback in the Levitical law serves as a reminder of the high standards of holiness required by God, while also pointing forward to the ultimate healing and restoration found in Jesus Christ, who makes all things new.(n.) A back with a hunch or hump; also, a hunchbacked person.1384. gibben -- crookbacked, humpbacked
... 1383, 1384. gibben. 1385 . crookbacked, humpbacked. Transliteration: gibben
Phonetic Spelling: (gib-bane') Short Definition: hunchback. ...
/hebrew/1384.htm - 6k

Modern Library of the World's Best Books
... Complete Works of 141 HUDSON, WH Green Mansions 89 HUDSON, WH The Purple Land 24
HUGHES, RICHARD A High Wind in Jamaica 112 HUGO, VICTOR The Hunchback of Notre ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/renan/the life of jesus/modern library of the worlds.htm

Hunchback (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) A back with a hunch or hump; also, a hunchbacked
person. Multi-Version Concordance Hunchback (1 Occurrence). ...
/h/hunchback.htm - 6k

Benediction
... performed. If one was blind even of one eye, or had a defect in his hands
or speech, or was a hunchback, he was also excluded. Before ...
/b/benediction.htm - 12k

Hunchbacked (1 Occurrence)

/h/hunchbacked.htm - 6k

Humtah (1 Occurrence)

/h/humtah.htm - 6k

Hunchback: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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